Method for encasing array packages

ABSTRACT

The upper and lower mold plates of a transfer molding machine are configured for one-side encapsulation of a pair of substrate mounted electronic devices having an opposite conductor-grid-array and/or bare heat sink/dissipator. A buffer member, optionally with cut-outs or apertures, may be placed between the two back-to-back substrates for protecting the grid-arrays and enabling encapsulation of devices with varying thicknesses without adjustment of the molding machine. Alternately, the upper and lower plates are configured for one-side encasement using covers of a pair of substrate mounted electronic devices having an opposite conductor-grid-array and/or bare heat sink/dissipator.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/481,166,filed Jan. 12, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,287,503, which is acontinuation of application Ser. No. 09/019,226, filed Feb. 5, 1998, nowU.S. Pat. No. 6,117,382, issued Sep. 12, 2000.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to packaging of electronic circuitdevice components. More particularly, the invention pertains topackaging arrangements for such device components mounted on an arraysubstrate, though not limited to a method for encasing or covering suchelectronic devices. The invention further pertains to packagingarrangements for such device components mounted on an array substrateand devices for enclosing or sealing such components.

2. State of the Art

Modem packaged integrated circuits (IC) comprise one or more encasedsemiconductor devices or chips within a protective “package” of plastic,ceramic, moldable material, or metal or other preformed material, suchas caps. The integrated circuit chips are made from a semiconductormaterial such as silicon, germanium or gallium arsenide, and microscopiccircuits are formed on a surface of each chip surface byphotolithographic techniques. A plurality of external connections,typically designed for soldering or slide connections, are connected tobond pads on one or more encased chips, enabling the chips to beelectrically interconnected to an external electrical apparatus. In oneform of interconnection, a substrate such as a wiring board or circuitboard has an array of conductors which is typically connected to thewire bond pads of the chips. Portions of the conductors extend throughthe substrate, typically in through-holes or vias to the opposite sidefor conductive, e.g. solder, connection to another electronic apparatus.In addition to one or more semiconductor devices (chips or dies)attached to the substrate, or in lieu thereof, other devices such asresisters, capacitors, etc., as well as the conductive leads and wires,may be mounted to the substrate and incorporated in the circuit. Suchelements are encased in plastic, ceramic or other material forprotection.

Plastic encapsulation of semiconductor and other electronic devices bytransfer molding is a well-known and much-used technique. Typically, alarge number of components or devices is placed in a lower mold plate orhalf of an open multi-cavity mold, one device within each cavity. Themold is closed with a mating upper plate. The cavities of the mold areconnected by tiny “feed runners”, i.e. channels to a “pot” or reservoirfrom which pressurized liquified plastic is fed. Typically, aconstricted channel known as a “gate” is located at the entrance to eachmold cavity to limit the flow rate and injection velocity of liquifiedplastic into the cavity.

Where it is desired to encase the electronic components mounted on oneside of a circuit board or wiring board, while leaving uncovered anarray of terminals on the opposite side, a peripheral portion of theboard (or of a portion encompassing a mounted circuit) is clamped andcompressed between the upper and lower mold plates to prevent leakage ofliquified plastic from the one side of the mold cavity. Typically, theforce required to compress the plates together is of the order of tons,even for molding machines having only a few mold cavities.

Typically, powdered or pelletized plastic, e.g. thermoset resin, isplaced in the resin pot and pressed by a ram. The heated, pressurizedplastic becomes liquified and flows through the feed runners and gatesto surround each device on one side of the substrate and fill thatportion of each mold cavity, where it subsequently hardens toencapsulate one side of the board and the devices attached to it. Air isexpelled from each cavity through one or more vent runners as theplastic melt fills the mold cavities. Following hardening by partialcure of the thermoset plastic, the mold plates are separated along theparting line and each encapsulated device is removed from a mold cavityand trimmed of excess plastic which has solidified in the runners andgates. Additional thermal treatment completes curing of the plasticpackage.

Following removal of each encased unit from its mold cavity and curing,the peripheral portions of the board may be excised from the board andany flash, i.e. plastic or other extraneous material removed fromexternal terminals, etc. as known in the art, and the device is readyfor use.

In devices having one side of the substrate configured for a ball gridarray (BGA) or similar array on a circuit board, the molding process isconducted so that the surface of the circuit board having the ball gridarray connections are formed on an outer surface of the package, suchsurface not being covered or encapsulated by the plastic material duringthe encapsulation process. When the substrate is sealably clamped on allsides of the cavity, plastic may reach the ball grid array side of thesubstrate only through the substrate, e.g. inadvertently through a holeor via. Of course, following removal from the cavity, any plasticencapsulant which may have reached and solidified on the ball grid arrayconnection surface is removed.

The encapsulation process is typically performed before the “balls” ofsolder are placed on the pads of the grid array, in order to preventpossible inadvertent disforming or loss of any solder balls duringencapsulation.

As disclosed in the prior art, various integrated circuit devices areconfigured for one-side enclosure or encapsulation, with an opposingbare or exposed side. U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,034 to Wakefield discloses anelectronic device having a lower bare surface of a metallic heatconductor to prevent overheating of the integrated circuit.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,608,262 of Degani et al. shows different semiconductordevices in which a printed wiring board surface or semiconductor chipsurfaces are left uncovered.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,014 of Lin, a stackable multi-chip module (MCM)is shown having several levels of chip-carrying substrates withaccompanying ball-grid-arrays of terminals.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,089 of Yoneda et al. teaches the use of a firstsubstrate carrying chips on both surfaces, and a second substratecarrying the first substrate, wherein the second substrate has a baresurface with arrayed terminals.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,889 of Weber, a mold is described which has abiased plug that exerts pressure on a heat sink or circuit board toprevent molding compound from covering its surface. A passage isprovided in the substrate circuit board so that plastic flowslatitudinally under the circuit board into a cavity. The plug is biasedby a plate spring to accommodate variations in the thickness of thesubstrate and ensure that the exterior surface of the heat sink does notbecome significantly encased in plastic.

In each of these references, the device is one-side encapsulated in aset of mold plates, one to a mold cavity.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,365 of Pennisi et al. discloses an electronicconductor-grid-array package including integrated circuits bonded to oneside of a printed circuit board, and a grid array on the opposing side.Instead of using transfer molding techniques, the integrated circuitsand associated wiring are encased in a glob-top encapsulant. Typically,glob-top encapsulation is more time consuming, less reliable, and yieldsa product having a less pleasing appearance than conventional transfermolding methods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention comprises an improved method and apparatus forencapsulating or enclosing electronic devices mounted on the first sideof a substrate such as a circuit board or wiring board. The inventionmay be particularly applied to one-side encapsulation or enclosing ofelectronic devices which includes a substrate such as a circuit boardconfigured to have a ball-grid-array (BGA), pin-grid-array (PGA),land-grid-array (LGA) or similar set of multiple electrical terminals onits opposite side. The array terminals of such a substrate is typicallyconfigured to be bonded to terminals of another apparatus followingencapsulation of the electronic devices including IC chip(s), leads,wiring and/or other components on its first side with plastic.

The method and apparatus of the invention may also be applied to adevice having an exposed heat sink or heat dissipation device on oneside of the substrate.

In the invention, a pair of mold plates is modified from a conventionalconfiguration so that two array packages may be simultaneouslyencapsulated, back to back, within a single mold cavity. Thus, thenumber of packages encapsulated in a mold machine may be doubled withoutany significant increase in packaging cycle time.

In one embodiment of the invention, the array surfaces of the two arraypackages are separated by a buffer member. The buffer member may beperforated or include a cut-out to accommodate array pads, balls, pins,etc. which protrude from the bare substrate surfaces and otherwiseimpinge on both major surfaces of the buffer member.

The mold plates useful for the practice of the invention are typicallyconfigured to be general mirror images of each other, each of the upperand lower plates provided with a feed runner and a vent runner for thesimultaneous passage of plastic melt to each array package and ventingof gases therefrom.

The method is applicable to a wide variety of substrate-basedconductor-grid-array packages, including those mounted on monolayersubstrates, multi-layer circuit board substrates, multi-chip-modules(MCM), etc. The production rate is effectively doubled, andencapsulation of devices with different substrate thicknesses may beperformed without adjustment of the mold plate spacing.

The present invention is further directed to the use of mold-like platesto apply preformed covers over the semiconductor devices on thesubstrates.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is illustrated in the following figures, wherein theelements are not necessarily shown to scale. Corresponding parts areidentified by the same numerals throughout the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional end view through a portion of a moldingmachine of the invention for encapsulating two semiconductor devicesmounted on planar substrates;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view through a portion of a moldingmachine of the invention, as taken along line 2—2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional end view through a portion of a moldingmachine, illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary planar intermediate buffermember useful in an encapsulation method of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional end view through a portion of a moldingmachine, illustrating the use of another embodiment of the buffer memberof the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another exemplary planar intermediatebuffer member useful in an encapsulation method of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional end view through a portion of a moldingmachine, illustrating the use of a further embodiment of the buffermember of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a planarintermediate buffer member useful in an encapsulation method of theinvention;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional end view through a portion of an apparatusof another embodiment of the invention for applying a cover to the twosemiconductor devices mounted on planar substrates;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional end view through a portion of an apparatusof another embodiment of the invention for applying another type coverto the two semiconductor devices mounted on planar substrates;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional end view through a portion of an apparatusof another embodiment of the invention for applying a cover to the twosemiconductor devices mounted on planar substrates, illustrating the useof an embodiment of the buffer member of the invention; and

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional end view through a portion of an apparatusof another embodiment of the invention for applying a cover to the twosemiconductor devices mounted on planar substrates, illustrating the useof a further embodiment of the buffer member of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A method for rapid one-side encasing of array packages and an apparatusfor performing such packaging are described. The several aspects of theinvention are particularly applicable to substrate-mounted arrays ofball grids, pin grids and land-grids with various encapsulable devicesmounted on the opposite side of the substrate. In addition, deviceshaving exposed heat sinks or heat radiators on the opposite side of anotherwise impermeable substrate may be rapidly one-side encapsulated bythe method and apparatus of the invention. The method and apparatus areapplicable to any device including a generally planar substrate, whereinone side of the substrate is to be non-encapsulated in the finalpackaged form.

With reference to the drawings of FIGS. 1-8, and particularly to FIGS. 1and 2, a portion of a molding machine 10 is depicted, including portionsof an upper mold plate 12 and a lower mold plate 14. A mold cavity 16 isshown as comprising cut-out portions of each mold plate 12, 14. Inpractice, the number of cavities 16 in a pair of mating mold plates 12,14 may be any number, but usually is about 10 to 100, as needed to matchthe number of electronic units formed on a given substrate strip 18 andto attain the desired production rate.

The terms “upper” and “lower” are used herein for the sake ofconvenience only, inasmuch as the upper and lower mold plates may beexchanged in position if desired.

The upper mold plate 12 is shown as similar to a conventional, generallyrectangular plate member with multiple upper cavity portions 16A alongits mold face, i.e. lower flat surface 20. Each upper cavity portion 16Ahas an upper feed runner 24 with gate 26 for injecting a first fluidplastic 30, typically a thermoset resin, into the upper cavity portionat a controlled rate. In addition, an upper vent runner 28 for ventinggas, e.g. air, from the upper cavity portion 16A during encapsulation isshown.

The lower mold plate 14 is typically a substantially mirror image of theupper mold plate 12, although it does not need to be such a mirrorimage, having lower cavity portion 16B which mates with the upper cavityportion 16A. Thus, the upper cavity portion 16A and mating lower cavityportion 16B together comprise a complete mold cavity 16. Each lowercavity portion 16B has a lower feed runner 34 with gate 36 for injectinga second fluid plastic 40 into each lower cavity portion at a controlledrate. Although the fluid plastics 30 and 40 may usually be the samematerial, encapsulants of differing composition may be used as describedherein, infra. In addition, although the first fluid plastic 30 andsecond fluid plastic 40 are typically injected simultaneously, they mayalternatively be injected in sequence, particularly if they differ.

In accordance with the invention, two electronic devices 50A and 50B areshown within the mold cavity 16, in a back-to-back orientation, thesecond sides 56A and 56B of substrates 18A and 18B, respectively, inabutment. Upper device 50A comprises a planar substrate 18A having afirst side 48A upon which a semiconductor die 52A is attached andelectrically connected thereto by wires 54A. Likewise, lower device 50Bis shown as comprising a planar substrate 18B having a first side 48Bupon which a semiconductor die 52B is attached and electricallyconnected via wires 54B or some other suitable method. The first andsecond devices 50A, 50B may each have an array of conductive terminals,e.g. pads, not visible, on its substrate second side 56A or 56B,respectively, each array of terminals connected by conductors (notshown) passing through the respective substrate 18A or 18B to the wires54A, 54B of the device.

It is understood that the two devices 50A, 50B may be substantiallyidentical, or may differ, for example, in the particular numbers andtypes of components attached to the substrate, in substrate compositionand thickness, etc. The specifications of the two devices 50A and 50Bmay differ with respect to the encapsulant, and the mold plates 12, 14and methods of this invention provide for simultaneous one-sideencapsulation of different devices with different materials. Materialstypically used for such encapsulation include epoxy resins,organosilicon polymers, polyimide, etc.

The upper mold plate 12 generally has a flat upper surface 42, and thelower mold plate 14 has a flat lower surface 44. Following placement ofthe devices 50A, 50B back-to-back between the mold plates 12, 14,compressive forces 46 are exerted upon surfaces 42, 44 to clamp the moldplates 12, 14 against the pair of substrates 18A, 18B, and theencapsulation process may proceed without leakage. The array ofterminals is configured to be positioned outside of the area under highcompression to avoid damage to the terminals. Thus, the area undercompression is “circumferential” about each cavity, where“circumferential” refers to the excluded area rather than anycircularity. The cavities are usually rectangular in shape rather thanround.

Although the surfaces 20, 22 of the upper mold plate 12 and lower moldplate 14, respectively, are shown in FIG. 1 as planar, one or both ofthe surfaces 20, 22 may incorporate projecting ridges by which thecompressive forces 46 are concentrated over a relatively small area ofthe substrates 18A, 18B. If this is done, the terminals of the array maybe both inside and outside of the circumferential ridge about a moldcavity 16A or 16B or both.

FIG. 3 depicts the same mold plates 12, 14 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Inthis embodiment, a buffer member 60 is placed between second side 56A ofsubstrate 18A and the second side 56B of substrate 18B. As indicatedpreviously, both of these sides 56A, 56B have terminal grid arrays suchas pads, solder balls, pins, etc. or they include bare surface heatsinks or heat dissipators. These elements require protection from highcompression forces, lateral forces, and the flow of encapsulant duringthe packaging process.

A buffer member 60 is illustrated in FIG. 4 as a flat or planar bodytypically with parallel surfaces 72A, 72B, and having thickness 68.Typically, the buffer member 60 will be continuous and generallycoextensive with each strip of substrate 18A, 18B. The buffer member 60may alternatively be formed of multiple portions more readily fitted tothe arrays of balls, pins, pads, etc.

The buffer member 60 serves several purposes:

First, buffer members 60 of differing thicknesses may be readilyprovided for encapsulation of packages having varying substratethicknesses 58A, 58B (see FIG. 2). For example, when a pair ofelectronic devices 50A, 50B having a reduced substrate thickness 58Aand/or 58B is to be one-side encapsulated, a buffer member 60 of greaterthickness dimension 68 may be used to compensate for the thinnersubstrates 18A, 18B. The tedious adjustment of the molding machine 10for a different mold plate clearance to accommodate varying substratethicknesses 58A, 58B may be avoided.

Second, the buffer member 60 absorbs some of the compressive forces 46exerted during the encapsulation, protecting the array terminals frombreakage or distortion.

Third, the buffer member 60 may be adapted to accommodate projectingarray terminals such as pin-grid arrays and ball-grid-arrays, etc.,preventing damage to the pins or solder balls resulting from compressionagainst the opposite substrate or the buffer member 60 itself.

Fourth, the buffer member 60 enhances the ease of separating the twoarray devices 50A, 50B without damage, following encapsulation.

The buffer member 60 does not become part of a packaged device and maybe, for example, a thin metallic member such as aluminum, copper, orvarious other suitable materials. Alternatively, the buffer member 60may comprise a plastic material such as polyimide,polytetrafluoroethylene, silicones, epoxies, etc. The buffer member 60may also be a circuit board or wiring board, or other material. As bestdelineated, the material has a rigidity which limits the degree to whichit will deform under the typical compression range useful in theencapsulation process. Thus, the material will typically becomecompressed under the exerted compression forces.

In addition, the buffer material will be non-adhesive, not adhering toeither substrate.

In FIG. 5, the molding plates of FIG. 1 are shown in a method forone-side encapsulation of a pair of typical electronic devices 50A and50B, each comprising components 52A, 54A (or 52B, 54B) mounted on asubstrate 18A (or 18B) such as a circuit board with a ball-grid-array ofsolder balls 62A, 62B, respectively. The electronic devices 50A, 50B areplaced back-to-back in the mold cavity 16, with an intervening buffermember 60. The substrates and buffer member 60 form a “laminar”arrangement, though they are not attached to each other. As depicted inFIGS. 5 and 6, the buffer member 60 includes cut-outs 64 and 66,respectively, into which the arrays of solder balls 62A and 62B arepositioned. The thickness 68 of the buffer member 60 in a compressedcondition enables the solder balls 62A, 62B from both substrates 18A,18B to fit within the cut-outs 64, 66 without touching, so thatdeformation or damage to the solder balls is avoided. For typicalball-grid-arrays (BGA), the thickness 68 of the buffer member 60 will besufficient to accommodate both sets of solder balls 62A, 62B. Where usedfor pin-grid-arrays (PGA), the required thickness will vary dependingupon pin length.

Unlike the method shown in FIG. 1, this method enables one-sideencapsulation of devices following installation of the solder balls.

As already indicated, this method is shown in FIG. 5 for devices withball-grid-arrays (BGA). The method shown in FIG. 5 is equally useful forsubstrates in which a pin-grid-array (PGA) or land-grid-array (LGA),etc., or others, with pads having already been provided in thesubstrate.

The cut-out 64 and 66 may be made in the buffer member 60 by anyfeasible method, including stamping or laser cutting.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a further embodiment of the invention. Thebuffer member 60 is perforated with groupings 70 of cut-outs 66 toaccommodate array pads, balls, pins, etc. which protrude from the baresubstrate second sides 56A, 56B and which otherwise would impinge onboth parallel surfaces 72A, 72B of the buffer member. The cut-outs 66are aligned with the conductors and are of such a size to accommodatethe usual variability in positioning of the substrates 18A, 18B on thebuffer member 60. The cut-outs 66 in the buffer member 60 may be formedby any method capable of forming small holes, including laser cutting or“drilling”, and extend from the upper surface 72A to the lower surface72B.

Buffer members 60 may be easily and quickly fabricated in a variety ofthicknesses 68, using conventional techniques. Thus, a wide variety ofdevice designs may be one-side encapsulated without adjustment of themolding machine tolerances.

The buffer member 60 may typically be re-used more than once, and may beusable repeatedly, thus saving time and materials.

The buffer member 60 may be formed of a variety of relativelyinexpensive materials, because it does not require very specificqualities such as chemical resistance, etc.

With reference to FIG. 9, another embodiment of the present invention isillustrated wherein portions of isothermal blocks of an apparatus 100are depicted, including portions of an upper isothermal plate 112 and alower isothermal plate 114. A cavity 116 is shown as comprising cut-outportions of each plate 112, 114. In practice, the number of cavities 116in a pair of mating plates 112, 114 may be any number, but is about 10to 100, as needed to match the number of electronic units formed on agiven substrate strip 18 and to attain the desired production rate.

The terms “upper” and “lower” are used herein for the sake ofconvenience only, inasmuch as the upper and lower plates may beexchanged in position if desired.

The upper plate 112 is shown as similar to a conventional, generallyrectangular plate member with multiple upper cavity portions 116A alongits face, i.e. lower flat surface 120. Each upper cavity portion 116Ahas an aperture 126 therein connected to a source of vacuum.

The lower plate 114 is a substantially mirror image, although notrequired, of the upper plate 112, having lower cavity portion 116B whichmates with the upper cavity portion 116A. Thus, the upper cavity portion116A and mating lower cavity portion 116B together comprise a completecavity 116. Each lower cavity portion 116B has an aperture 126 thereinconnected to a source of vacuum.

In accordance with the invention, two electronic devices 50A and 50B areshown within the cavity 116, in a back-to-back orientation, thesubstrate second sides 56A and 56B, respectively, in abutment. Upperdevice 50A comprises a planar substrate 18A having a first side 48A uponwhich a semiconductor die 52A is attached and electrically connectedthereto by wires 54A or some other suitable connection. Likewise, lowerdevice 50B is shown as comprising a planar substrate 18B having a firstside 48B upon which a semiconductor die 52B is attached and electricallyconnected via wires 54B. The first and second devices 50A, 50B may eachhave an array of conductive terminals, e.g. pads, not visible, onsubstrate second side 56A or 56B, respectively, each array of terminalsconnected by conductors (not shown) passing through the respectivesubstrate 18A or 18B to the wires 54A, 54B of the device.

Contained within upper cavity portion 116A of upper plate 112 is a cover130 being held therein through the use of a vacuum supplied throughaperture 126 after being placed therein in any suitable manner.Similarly, contained within lower cavity portion 116B of lower plate 114is a cover 130 being held therein through the use of a vacuum suppliedthrough aperture 126 after being placed therein in any suitable manner.The covers 130 may be of any type of suitable material in any suitableshape for application to the substrate 18A or 18B to encase thesemiconductor die 52A and 52B respectively.

It is understood that the two electronic devices, 50A and 50B may besubstantially identical, or may differ, for example, in the particularnumbers and types of components attached to the substrate, in substratecomposition and thickness, etc. The specifications of the two electronicdevices 50A and 50B may differ with respect to the cover 130 and theplates 112, 114 and methods of this invention provide for simultaneousone-sided encapsulating of different devices with different materials.

The upper plate 112 generally has a flat upper surface 142, and thelower plate 114 has a flat lower surface 144. Following placement of thedevices 50A, 50B back-to-back between the plates 112, 114, compressiveforces 46 are exerted upon surfaces 142, 144 to clamp the plates 112,114 against the pair of substrates 18A, 18B and the process proceeds toattach, such as by using adhesive bonding, the covers 130 to thesubstrate 18A, 18B. The lower edge of each cover 130 may be coated witha suitable adhesive to attach the cover 130 to the substrate 18A, 18B.The wire bonds to the circuits of the substrate 18A, 18B are placed tobe located outside the area of compression of the edge of the cover 130on the substrate 18A, 18B. As stated, the cover 130 may be of any shapedesired to enclose and isolate a desired area on the substrate 18A, 18B.

Referring to FIG. 10, another embodiment of the present invention isshown such as illustrated in FIG. 9, except that each cover 130 has thelower edge thereof secured in a recess 18C or 18D formed in substrate18A, 18B respectively. The lower edge of cover 130 may be secured in therecess 18C, 18D of substrate 18A, 18B, respectively, by means of asuitable adhesive or any other suitable, well-known attachment.

Referring to FIG. 11, another embodiment of the present invention isshown wherein the plates of FIG. 9 are used for one-side encapsulationof a pair of typical electronic devices 50A and 50B, each comprisingcomponents 52A, 54A (or 52B, 54B) mounted on a substrate 18A (or 18B)such as a circuit board with a ball-grid-array of solder balls 62A, 62B,respectively. The devices 50A, 50B are placed back-to-back in the moldcavity 116, with an intervening buffer member 60. The substrates andbuffer member 60 form a “laminar” arrangement, though they are notattached to each other. As depicted in FIGS. 11 and 5, the buffer member60 includes a cut-out 64 and 66, respectively, into which the arrays ofsolder balls 62A and 62B are positioned. The thickness 68 of the buffermember 60 in a compressed condition enables the solder balls 62A, 62Bfrom both substrates 18A, 18B to fit within the cut-out 64 withouttouching, so that deformation or damage to the solder balls is avoided.The cover 130 is attached to substrate 18A, 18B by any suitablearrangement, such as adhesive bonding, etc.

Referring to FIG. 12, another embodiment of the invention is shown withthe outer edge of cover 130 being retained in a recess 18C, 18D of thesubstrate 18A, 18B respectively. The cover 130 may be secured in therecess 18C, 18D of substrate 18A, 18B by any suitable arrangement, suchas adhesive bonding, etc.

Use of the foregoing apparatus and methods effectively doubles theproduction rate of a transfer molding machine or like apparatus to applycovers to the substrates without increasing the rejection rate. Thisresults in a much lower unit cost. The grid-arrays of pads, solder ballsor pins, as well as any bare heat sinks or heat dissipators, areprotected from damage.

If desired, devices of different designs may be one-side encapsulatedtogether within a mold cavity, and may even be simultaneouslyencapsulated with different materials. Such is further applicable forthe application of covers to the substrates to encase the semiconductordie.

It is apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes andmodifications may be made to the biased floating plate apparatus andrelief/venting apparatus of the invention as disclosed herein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An encapsulation method for a plurality ofelectronic devices within a mold cavity in an encapsulation devicecomprising: providing a first substrate having a first side, a secondside, and at least one electronic component on said first side of saidfirst substrate: providing a second substrate having a first side,second side, and at least one electronic component on said first side ofsaid second substrate; providing upper and lower mating mold plates,each mold plate of said upper and lower mating mold plates having a moldcavity portion, each said mold cavity portion of said upper and lowermating mold plates having a feed runner leading from a material supplyto said each mold cavity portion and having a vent runner connectedthereto for venting said each mold cavity portion, said each mold cavityportions together comprising said mold cavity portion of saidencapsulation device; placing said first substrate having said at leastone electronic component on said first side thereof and said secondsubstrate having said at least one electronic component on said firstside thereof into said mold cavity portion, said first substrate andsaid second substrate each having said second side thereof being locatedbetween said upper and lower mating mold plates; moving said upper andlower mating mold plates toward each other to form said mold cavityportion, portions of said upper mating mold plate engaging portions ofsaid first surface of said first substrate and portions of said lowermating mold plate engaging portions of said first surface of said secondsubstrate, said moving of said upper and lower mating mold plates towardeach other causing said second side of said first substrate and saidsecond side of said second substrate to have portions thereof incontact; injecting a first material into said upper mold cavity portionand a second material into said lower mold cavity portion to separatelyencapsulate said at least one electronic component on said first side ofsaid first substrate and said at least one electronic component on saidfirst side of said second substrate; and removing said first substrateand said second substrate from said upper and lower mating mold plates,said first substrate and said second substrate each having at least oneencapsulated electronic component on said first side thereof.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said injecting said second material into saidlower mold cavity portion comprises injecting a material substantiallyidentical to said first material.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein saidinjecting said second material into said lower mold cavity portioncomprises injection of a material substantially different from saidfirst material.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first materialand said second material are injected substantially simultaneously. 5.The method of claim 1, wherein said first material and said secondmaterial are injected at different times.
 6. The method of claim 1,further comprising cleaning said second side of each of said firstsubstrate and said second substrate.
 7. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising curing said plurality of electronic devices at an elevatedcuring temperature.
 8. An encapsulation method for a plurality ofelectronic devices within a mold cavity of an encapsulation apparatus,said method comprising: providing a first substrate having a first side,a second side, and at least one electronic component located on saidfirst side of said first substrate; providing a second substrate havinga first side, a second side, and at least one electronic componentlocated on said first side of said second substrate; providing upper andlower mating mold plates, each mold plate of said upper and lower matingmold plates having a mold cavity portion, each said mold cavity portionof said upper and lower mating mold plates having a feed runner leadingfrom a material supply to said each mold cavity portion and having avent runner connected thereto for venting said each mold cavity portion,said each mold cavity portions together comprising said mold cavity ofsaid encapsulation apparatus; placing said first substrate having saidat least one electronic component on said first side thereof and saidsecond substrate having said at least one electronic component on saidfirst side thereof into said mold cavity, said second side of said firstsubstrate and said second side of said second substrate placed in aback-to-back orientation between said upper and lower mating moldplates; moving said upper and lower mating mold plates to form said moldcavity portions of said upper mating mold plate engaging portions ofsaid first side of said first substrate and portions of said lowermating mold plate engaging portions of said first side of said secondsubstrate and causing said second side of said first substrate and saidsecond side of said second substrate to have portions thereof inengagement; injecting a first material into said mold cavity portion ofsaid upper mating mold plate and a second material into said mold cavityportion of said lower mating mold plate to separately encapsulate saidat least one electronic component mounted on said first side of each ofsaid first and second substrates of said plurality of electronicdevices; and removing said plurality of electronic devices from saidmold cavity.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said each mold cavityportion of said upper and lower mating mold plates is connected to avent runner for venting said each mold cavity portion.
 10. The method ofclaim 8, wherein the injecting said second material into said lower moldcavity portion comprises injection of a material substantially identicalto said first material.
 11. The method of claim 8, wherein the injectingsaid second material into said lower mold cavity portion comprisesinjection of a material substantially different from said firstmaterial.
 12. The method of claim 8, wherein said first material andsaid second material are injected substantially simultaneously.
 13. Themethod of claim 8, wherein said first material and said second materialare injected at different times.
 14. The method of claim 8, furthercomprising cleaning said second side of each of said first substrate andsaid second substrate.
 15. The method of claim 8, further comprisingsubjecting said plurality of electronic devices to a curing temperature.16. The method of claim 8, wherein said second side of each of saidfirst substrate and said second substrate of said electronic deviceincludes solder bumps thereon.